The Orphan

Giselle Potter has illustrated numerous books for children, including Cecil the Pet Glacier by Matthea Harvey, Want to Be in a Band? by Suzzy Roche, and The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Schotter, which was a Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner. Giselle lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with her husband and daughters. Visit her at GisellePotter.com.

“No, I’m not Greek, but I’d like to be.” That’s what I tell folks who ask about my affiliation with Greece once they learn about my attraction to Greek literature in the form of folk- and fairytales, those radiant gems of wit and wisdom. I’ve been in love with Greece, its people, and its traditions since 1992, the year I took up residence in the enchanting city of Thessaloniki on the Thermaic Gulf in Greece’s north central region. The more I absorbed the city’s Byzantine character and explored its ancient walls and ramparts, the more I came to understand why Thessaloniki is known as one of the most sacred and culturally rich regions in this legendary country.
I happened…

I grew up listening to stories. The oral tradition permeated every facet of our family life; story was one of the ways to explain life’s mysteries. My grandmother Christodoula had a story for everything that happened around us. They were mostly Nasreddin Hodja stories, since grandmother originated from Eastern Thrace and Nasreddin tales were part of that tradition. I knew many of the stories of what seemed an endless repertoire by the age of 3-4. However, being my grandmother’s favorite, the youngest, the only girl in the family, and also the one who inherited her name, I had the privilege of spending hours with her. She told me many stories, but my most favorite ones were those she saved just…